Active and Passive
Active: The tiger killed two hunters. (The killer was the tiger.)
Passive: The tiger was killed by two hunters. (The killers were two hunters.)
Active: He is teaching the piano. (He is a teacher.)
Passive: He is being taught the piano. (He is a student.)
Edison invented the light bulb.
S + V + O
The light bulb was invented by Edison.
S + be V3 + by someone
This house was built (build) in 1963. (by someone)
Be + V3
The bread is baked every day.
The bread is being baked now.
The bread has been baked.
The bread had been baked.
Someone has stolen some money from Tom’s jacket.
Some money has been stolen from Tom’s jacket.
People will play Tetris in the future.
Tetris will be played in the future.
My husband are going to clean these windows next week.
These windows are going to be cleaned by my husband next week.
Children shouldn’t eat too much chocolate.
Too much chocolate shouldn’t be eaten by children.
How can we solve this problem?
How can this problem be solved?
Going out at the weekends might be forbidden again.
Why do we need/use Passive?
- We don’t know the subject.
Some money has been stolen from Tom’s jacket.
- We know the subject-it is obvious.
The light bulb was invented in 1879 by Edison.
- To be more formal
It is believed that …
It can be said that Tetris is one of the most important games.
- Facts
Paper is made out of wood.
Cannot be used with Passive:
Go
Arrive
Die
Grow up
Disappear
I didn’t take them.
They weren’t taken by me.
You can develop your English by listening to songs in English.
By + a verb = a preposition + gerund
English is not used by employees in this company.
By + someone = passive